Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Footprints Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 14, 2024

Luigi Bazzoni's "Footprints" a.k.a. "Footprints on the Moon" (1975) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Shameless Entertainment. The supplemental features on the release include new program with star Florinda Balkan; new program with cinematographer Vittorio Storaro; new program with actress Ida Galli; restored Italian trailer; and more. In English and Italian, with optional English and English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

It is tempting to declare that Luigi Bazzoni’s Footprints is a giallo because it comes from the 1970s and during the same decade Florinda Bolkan appeared in a couple of classic gialli that have a lot in common with it. For example, in Lucio Fulci’s A Lizard in a Woman's Skin, Bolkan becomes entangled in a strange nightmare overlapping reality where she murders a popular socialite and becomes a target for an overworked but brilliant detective. In Fulci’s Don't Torture a Duckling, Bolkan arrives in a small town and again becomes a target after a local simpleton is brutally murdered. These films utilize a wide range of unique tricks and produce an extraordinary atmosphere, but they copy a blueprint that all classic gialli like. Footprints utilizes interesting tricks and has a great atmosphere too, but does not work with the same popular blueprint.

In Footprints, Bolkan plays a freelancing interpreter who is gradually losing control of her life and, in the process, sliding into a place where the real and the surreal are frequently indistinguishable. Despite her best efforts to grasp the nature of her situation, she only successfully concludes that her mind is not always cooperating, making it exceptionally difficult to deconstruct properly her experiences and findings. While trusting her instincts, Bolkan then visits a sleepy provincial seaside town and, much to her amusement, learns that a doppelganger might have gifted her a problematic reputation.

Footprints can be seen in two versions, Integral Cut and U.S. Version, each treating the complex material from the novel by Mario Fenelli that inspired it with equal respect. However, Footprints relies exclusively on Bolkan to make it work, both thematically and stylistically, and this is a crucial detail that is not replicated in Fulci’s films. As a result, even though it utilizes similarly interesting tricks and produces a great atmosphere, it remains a distinctly intimate project, one that is virtually impossible to profile as a giallo.

At the center of Footprints is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a tremendous character transformation, which is the catalyst of everything that works well in it -- the atmosphere, the drama, the suspense. This character transformation is also the biggest trick in Footprints because it effectively replaces Bolkan’s perplexed freelancing interpreter with a skilled puppet master whose control of the film exceeds Bazzoni’s. To be clear, plenty of misdirection plays depend on the effectiveness of Buzzoni’s camera work, but this material is not enough to counter the material in which Bolkan alone manages the atmosphere, drama, and suspense. For this reason, the puppet master’s performance becomes far more intriguing than the freelancing interpreter’s struggle to solve the frustrating enigma.

Despite appearing similar to Footprints, the two Fulci films do completely different things to impress their audience. For example, Fulci retains full control of them, which is why all of their characters are willing participants in elaborate enigmas that allow for multiple interpretations up to the point when they are effectively solved. Because each film has several prominent characters, Fulci has greater options to create a rich, multi-layered atmosphere. In these films, two or more character transformations can and frequently are used to prepare a surprising third character transformation of tremendous importance. In Footprints, the camera remains focused on Bolkan, which is why the popular blueprint Fulci’s films use was not suitable for it.

Bazzoni’s director of photography was the great Vittorio Storaro, who lensed such masterpieces as The Conformist, Apocalypse Now, and The Sheltering Sky.

Shameless Entertainment’s Blu-ray release presents two versions of Footprints, both fully restored in 4K from the original camera negative.

Footprints Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Footprints arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Shameless Entertainment.

The release introduces an outstanding recent 4K restoration of Footprints from the original camera negative. I could not be happier with the quality of the work that was done during the restoration process. I have Shameless Entertainment's original DVD release of Footprints and the 4K restoration offers such a dramatic upgrade in quality that it allows for a completely different viewing experience. Entire sections of the film, but especially the ones with the overwhelming blues, look simply incredible now. There is a lot more detail to see as well, both during the daylight outdoor and darker indoor footage. Density levels are vastly superior, as they should be, so together with the fantastic new organic colors on a large screen all visuals have a completely different complexion. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. A few sections could have used some additional encoding optimizations, but I thought that the overall quality of the presentation was excellent. My score is 4.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Footprints Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English and English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Even though Footprints has a very fine music score, I cannot say that there are many memorable dynamic contrasts. This film produces many subtle nuances, so it manages to impress in different ways. I prefer the English track, which should be considered the film's original track, but have used the Italian track as well. The English track is very healthy.

Footprints Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Remembering the Moon - in this new program, Florinda Bolkan recalls how involvement with Footprints and explains what makes the film special. Mrs. Bolkan also explains why she enjoyed playing characters in "difficult films". Directed and produced by Roberta Licurgo. Executive produced by Garwin Spencer-Davison for Shameless Entertainment. In Italian, with English subtitles. (8 min).

• Master of Light - in this new program, cinematographer Vittorio Storaro recalls his days in the Italian film industry; some of the great directors, actors, and producers he was fortunate to work with; specific films he lensed, including Footprints and The Conformist; etc. The program also includes interesting comments from Franco Nero. Produced by Federico Caddeo in 2022 for Freak-O-Rama. In Italian, with English subtitles. (68 min).

• To the Moon - in this new program, actress Ida Galli recalls how she was offered her part in Footprints and what it was like to shoot the film with Vittorio Storaro, Florinda Bolkan and Luigi Bazzoni. Produced by Federico Caddeo in 2022 for Freak-O-Rama. In Italian, with English subtitles. (13 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic Rachael Nisbet.

• Trailer - presented here is a fully restored original Italian trailer for Footprints. In Italian, with English subtitles. (3 min).

• Cover - reversible cover with original Italian poster art for Footprints.

Footprints Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I have always liked Footprints and thought that it is a misunderstood film. A lot of people profile it as a giallo, but it is clearly not that kind of genre film. Florinda Bolkan takes control of it in a way that a director shooting a giallo would not have allowed, and at the end of an outstanding new program included on this release the great cinematographer Vittorio Storaro explains why. I think that he is right. The enigma Bolkan attempts to solve reflects a different struggle which has little to do with the misery of her character, a freelancing interpreter. Shameless Entertainment's Blu-ray release presents an outstanding recent 4K restoration of Footprints. I have the label's original DVD release and could not believe the upgrade in quality. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.